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I recently wrote about TheSpaghettiDetective in my Post My Top 4 OctoPrint Plugins. Now I’ve installed the open-source software on my home server for free. You can download TSD here from their official GitHub page.

Besides the cool name, this plugin is especially popular because it automatically detects when the printer is not printing properly. The plugin has a so-called AI-failure detection. It has happened to me many times when the printer was not properly leveled or the bed was not cleaned properly, that the print slipped and was unusable.

The plugin is in my opinion in any case a must-have, because you can not always check your print. The free version of this plugin can use the AI Failure feature for a maximum of 10 hours per month. Alternatively, you can invest $4 per month and use the feature for 50 hours. You can also install the software on your own server for free since it’s open-source.

Read my full article about OctoPrint HERE.

I have installed the “theSpaghettiDetective” on my home server. In detail, I have installed the spaghetti colleague in a 4GB Linux VMWare. Recommended on the GitHub page is at least 4GB and that has worked very well so far. It also explicitly states that a Raspberry Pi 4, which also has 4Gb or up to 8Gb will not work because it is too slow.

The software is installed in a Docker container, which makes the server super fast and requires few resources. On the GitHub page, there is a tutorial that allows you to install it easily with a few Linux basics.

The important thing is that the VMWare or computer needs a fixed IP address on the network so that OctoPrint and the server can communicate. You can reach the server later at http://youripadress:3334.

The web interface looks the same as the free version of www.thespaghettidetective.com. If you want to change anything after the installation, you have to go to http://youripadress:3334/admin.

If you host the software, you also have the option to use the IOS app to get the most important information about the print. Unfortunately, this does not work with the self-hosted version. Unfortunately, I have not found anything that this feature is still in the pipeline. The app is really handy and it would be cool if this was still compatible in the future.

If you have multiple 3D printers running OctoPrint, you can also use them with the same server. The best thing about this software is that you have unlimited AI hours and can 3D print as long as you want and the detective is always watching. You can also upload GCode files via the TSD web interface if you don’t want to do it via OctoPrint.

I also noticed that the video stream from my webcam hangs on the printer via OctoPrint and does not run smoothly. Possibly my Raspberry Pi 3b+ is overloaded with my numerous plugins. However, when I play the video via my TSD server, everything runs smoothly.

If you have a home server or an old computer sitting around, I can definitely recommend this project as it will save you many kilograms of filament. I often print overnight because the printer is noisy and prints for a very long time, for me the plugin is a must-have. In case you want to try the server, you can download it from their official GitHub page here. Thanks for this cool software!